Yup. We're Smack Dab in the Middle of a Drought.
It's official. California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a statewide drought yesterday. Drag. This comes after two years of below average rainfall here in Cali.
"For the areas in Northern California that supply most of our water, this March, April and May have been the driest ever in our recorded history," Schwarzenegger said in a statement. "As a result, some local governments are rationing water, developments can't proceed and agricultural fields are sitting idle," he said.
What does this mean for us? Among other things, fire season will be brutal this year due to the fact that the brush is tinder-dry and there is not a ton of water to battle a fire that breaks out. There may also be water restrictions for homes & businesses. Hey, I still remember the 80's drought adage in our home "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down."
What can we do? Even better question! Here's some great water conservation tips according to BeWaterWise.com:
Indoors
- Turn off the water when you brush your teeth. (saves 3 gallons per day)
- Shorten your showers by one or two minutes. (saves 5 gallons per day)
- Fix leaky faucets (saves 20 gallons per day)
- Wash only full loads of laundry (saves 15 to 50 gallons per load)
Outdoors
- Water your yard only before 8 a.m. to reduce evaporation and interference from wind. (saves 25 gallons per day)
- Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks. (saves 150 gallons each time)
- Check your sprinkler system for leaks, overspray and broken sprinkler heads. (saves 500 gallons a month.)
- Mulch! Save hundreds of gallons a year by using organic mulch
- around plants to reduce evaporation.
AND I say: How's about a drought resistant ground cover and garden?! Nix those sprinklers all together.
For more on today's drought proclamation and what it means, read THIS or the official press release HERE. We'll keep you posted on any mandatory measures put into place.
About this blog
Roxanne Kotzman is a Daily News Photo Department veteran of nine years. When she and longtime friend Stacy Long
discovered their love all of all things environmentally responsible, they launched Happy Monkey Planet and jumped head-first into the vibrant eco-community.
Wow, so much to learn! But initially the idea is a pretty simple one: Let's change the world through information, education and action.
Rox & Stacy are a lot like you: ecologically minded but sometimes just plain overwhelmed when charged with the task of making a far-reaching difference in the environment. They have jobs, families, homes, lives and pets.
But what if doing better was a simple as a light-bulb change, a reusable canvas grocery bag, recycling that soda can or a cold-water wash?
These eco-chicks just hope to have a little fun, learn a little more, share a lot of information and maybe make the planet a happier, greener, cleaner place.
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